There’s a smoky aroma wafting through Purcellville that’s making Virginia BBQ enthusiasts hop in their cars and drive for miles. Monk’s BBQ isn’t trying to be fancy, and that’s exactly why we love it.

Hidden in the rugged folds of the Santa Monica Mountains, The Old Place in Agoura Hills stands as a delicious reminder that California’s culinary treasures aren’t all found in glossy metropolitan ...